Cindy Barber

Cindy Barber began working with local record labels while still in college. She did inventory control for MCA, bookkeeping at WEA and was Assistant Buyer at the ABC branch. After earning her college degrees in Media and Communications, she co-founded the Cleveland Express newspaper in the late ‘70s, in addition to booking and managing local bands. In the ‘80s, Barber became the production manager for Northern Ohio Live magazine, a job which included managing and editing all of the program guides for Playhouse Square and other arts organizations.

Barber started her own publishing consulting business in 1986, producing ad campaigns for local restaurants and retail stores, consulting for small publications such as Family Times, and creating marketing materials and program guides for the Cleveland Play House and the Cleveland International Film Festival. During that time, Barber also co-wrote a music column for the Cleveland Edition with fellow music journalist Anastasia Pantsios. In 1992, she helped launch the Cleveland Free Times as assistant publisher and was moved into the editor’s position three months later. During her six years in that position, the paper won many awards including awards for Barber’s own writing. During this time she served for four years on the national board of the Association for Alternative Newsweeklies. After the Free Times, she spent a year as editor of Northern Ohio Live.

She then turned her energy to her own North Collinwood neighborhood, where she co-founded the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern in March 2000, a concert venue that has become a favorite stop to hundreds of national touring bands. She has served as president of the board of her local CDC, Northeast Shores Development Corporation, and was also president of Arts Collinwood, when the organization won a Northern Ohio Live Achievement Award in Economic Development for its work in North Collinwood. Ms. Barber has also served on the City of Cleveland’s Fair Housing Board, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, and the former Cleveland Music Group. In 2007, she was honored with a Cleveland Arts Prize for Distinguished Service to the Arts. Contact Cindy at clevelandrocksppf@gmail.com

David Spero

David Spero was destined to be part of Rock and roll’s history! Starting at age 13, he worked on his father Herman’s Upbeat TV show holding cue cards and later serving as ‘Talent Coordinator’. Upbeat was seen in over 100 cities between 1964 and 1971. He has since produced four Upbeat Live shows on Cleveland television garnering 3 Emmy nominations.

A radio career started in 1968 at WXEN-FM in Cleveland. Stints at WNCR, WMMS, M105 and WNCX helped establish him as a top disc jockey in the then new and emerging field of FM radio.

Hanging around with recording stars evolved into a career in artist management. David Spero Management was formed in 1973 steering the career of local icon Michael Stanley and producer Bill Szymczyk (Eagles, Who, Bob Seger etc).

David took a thirteen year break from Rock and Roll when he accepted a job as Managing Director/Midwest for Columbia/Tri Star Pictures. He coordinated the regional releases of such pictures as ‘Ghostbusters’, ‘The Natural’, ‘Tootsie’, and ‘Gandhi’ during his tenure.

But Rock and Roll came calling again in 1990 when Eagle Joe Walsh asked Spero to manage his career. He added other artists such as Harry Nilsson, Vanilla Ice, Eric Carmen and Ian Hunter. Spero produced ‘The Joe Walsh/Glenn Frey Tour’ which was the precursor to ‘The Eagles: Hell Freezes Over Tour’.

The rigors of touring took their toll and in 2000, Spero ‘retired’ and accepted the position of Vice President of Programming and Education at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In this poison, Spero produced the successful MTV show “Live At The Rock Hall” which aired for two seasons and featured such artists as Linkin Park, John Meyer, Godsmack, Avril Lavigne and Alicia Keyes.

But again, antsy for that Rock and Roll lifestyle, David Spero Management was back in business in 2003 representing the careers of Billy Bob Thornton, Hall of Famer Dickey Betts, Yusuf Islam, Survivor, Melanie, Nelson, Don Felder, JD Souther and The Funk Brothers.

David, 60, is currently a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Board of Directors and was recently inducted into the Ohio Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He lives in South Euclid Ohio with his wife, Ellen, of 34 years. They have a son Adam who is a graduate of John Carroll University.

Ravenna Miceli

Most recently on V107.3 WNWV/Cleveland middays.

Ravenna’s radio history includes WMJI/Cleveland, WBOS/Boston, WAAF/Boston, WHTT/Boston, WVBF/Boston, WPRO-FM/Providence,WHJY/Providence, WOMC/Detroit, and WVOI/Martha’s Vineyard. In addition, Ravenna was a host on the nightly nationally syndicated Triple A “Moonlight Groove” series and entertainment reporter and sales for the nationally syndicated “Open House Party” show. Ravenna was the first woman to host a morning drive show on Boston radio (WBOS). Additionally, Ravenna also has a voice over studio for voicing commercials, and a business assisting the elderly called Adult Au Pair.

Ravenna’s non-profit work includes the Easter Seals Telethon, the Cleveland Plain Dealer Corporate Spelling Bee for Literacy, The National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame Scholarship Fund, Guitars For Vets, several county humane societies, and Purple Night Lights Domestic Violence Center Cleveland and D.SA.C. of Medina county. Ravenna has been in Cleveland for over 20 years.

Al Kaston

Al Kaston has had an extensive 35 year career in the entertainment industry.

During the ’70′s, ’80′s and ’90′s Al held sales and management positions with, among others, the international music distributor Record Shack and the renowned Record Rendezvous and Recordland chains. Al also worked with literally every major label to organize and coordinate artist events and meet-and-greets, and partnered with noted rock photo journalist Janet Macoska on many music events throughout the years.

Since 2004 Al has worked with and managed the internationally renowned rock band Raspberries, including overseeingthe band’s website, www.RaspberriesOnline.com and the band’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/raspberriesrock. Al was the project coordinator for the 2007 Rykodisc CD / DVD release “Raspberries Live On Sunset Strip”, working with label management and with representatives of Bruce Springsteen, Yoko Ono, The Estate of John Lennon and others who participated in the release.

In 2008 Al arranged and organized a benefit concert at Playhouse Square for The Case Western Reserve University School of Law’s Center For Social Justice featuring Ritchie Havens. Al booked Eric Carmen’s 2008 appearance with Steve Lukather for the American Music Masters tribute to Les Paul, and booked what would become Raspberries’ last performance, their 2009 performance at the Rock Hall Induction Ceremony VIP event. In 2009 and 2010 Al was the General Manager of the legendary Euclid Tavern, booking dozens of local and regional acts.

In 2010 Kaston coordinated the digital release of the first two new Raspberries studio recordings in over 35 years, produced by Grammy Award winner Mark Linett, and in 2011 was contracted to provide music programming and DJ services for the Fountain Café and Lounge in Moreland Hills, Ohio.

Concurrent with his music industry career Al also has a successful 25 year career in the financial services, banking, lending and investment industries. Al also holds several securities and investment licenses.

Al lives in Mentor with his wife Denise and has an adult son, Ryan.

Nick Amster

Nick Amster is a musician living in Northern Ohio.

Amster was inspired by his first 45s purchases of “Wake Up Little Susie” by The Everly Brothers and “Whole Lotta Shaking Going On” by Jerry Lee Lewis.

As a musician Amster is passionate about preserving aspects of Cleveland’s musical history. Amster has played with the Fugs in 1965 and can be heard conversing with Lou Reed on the Velvet Underground’s “Live at Max’s Kansas City” LP.

Amster has had the honor of also working with Robert Lockwood Jr. and Harry Smith. Amster attended the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, and now he enjoys attending similar performances.

Jack Boessneck

Jack has been the “hamster on the wheel” in Cleveland music for his entire life. He played in high school rock bands (no money but met girls), worked at Cleveland’s largest music store (usually spent entire paycheck on equipment), worked as tech at a musical instrument repair facility, was one of the founding members of the legendary Cleveland band Dragonwyck, spent several years as the senior production person for the Agora Ballroom (both 24th Street and Euclid Ave), engineered the live radio “Coffeebreak Concerts” series (they didn’t want to pay anyone and he had to be there anyway), owned a local sound company (another failed endeavor), was live sound engineer for many national/regional acts (some had gold records, some won Grammys, most broke up) and wasted way too much time backstage, in studios and outside bars with some of the most interesting / intriguing / dangerous people. In spite of (or because of) some of the above, Jack has consulted with numerous local and national organizations regarding audio and served as a member of several collage arts boards. For the past 20 years, Jack has been the Executive Vice President of Eighth Day Sound, one of the premier international sound reinforcement companies.